APC Lauds Rivers Assembly Over N30b Reserve Fund

Story by Nwaorgu Faustinus

Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have been hailed by the Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for passing the Rivers State Reserve Fund Law Amendment Bill 2014 to enable the state government withdraw the sum of N30 billion from the N53 billion in the fund.

The interim Chairman of the party in Rivers State, Davies Ibiamu, while also commenting on the passage of the bill on Thursday by the lawmakers, said in a statement issued on Friday in Port Harcourt that the, “timely intervention by the lawmakers, who have once more proved to be true representatives of the people, will enable the Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s administration to proceed with its programmes and projects unhindered by the economic war being waged against the state by the Peoples Democratic Party-controlled Federal Government.”

“Blinded by its hatred for Governor Amaechi and the good people of Rivers State, the PDP government at the centre has done everything within its power to economically strangulate the State, by ceding oil wells belonging to Rivers to neighbouring states, thus subjecting Rivers to monthly revenue loss of over N7 billion, thus making it impossible for the Amaechi Administration to meet its obligations to workers and contractors and to fund ongoing projects,” Davies also said in the statement.

“We are, however, not surprised by the position of Rivers PDP as made known by its Chairman, Felix Obuah, through his media aide, Jerry Needam, as PDP has never wished the state any good,” he further said.

“These misguided critics forgot that our patriotic lawmakers adopted this step in order to save the lives of the teachers employed about five months ago without being paid, including some government agencies and some contractors that have deserted their sites because of lack of fund from further hardship.

“Some of these blind critics forgot so soon that it was Amaechi that initiated this bill to serve as an intervention fund during an emergency situation in the state.

“One wonders therefore what either excuse that will suit these blind critics to see that we are in an emergency situation occasioned by the ceding of our oil wells by the PDP led Federal Government to other neighbouring states and that the Rivers State government need to intervene as a sound and responsible government that cares for the welfare of her citizenry,” the statement pointed out.

The APC in Rivers State therefore commended and congratulated Amaechi for the bold step of signing the amendment bill into law thereby demonstrating in a very simple term his love and care for the people of the state.

Davies urged residents of the state to disregard the ranting of PDP leaders who are determined to prolong the suffering of innocent Rivers citizens for rejecting them, urging the people to continue to support Amaechi as he means well for them.